Celebrating Heritage Week 2026 with RBRA

We hosted two events during National Heritage Week 2026, bringing the community together with the aim to explore and celebrate the natural heritage of the Inagh and Ballymacraven rivers.

Exploring Our Local Rivers

On Saturday, 15th of August, RBRA joined the River Basin Management Service for a guided walk through the Glen, led by Regional Project Lead, Ruairí Ó Conchúir.

The walk explored the rich biodiversity of the Inagh and Ballymacraven rivers, alongside the river restoration work being carried out by RBRA. Participants also learned some of the Irish names for local plants, animals and habitats, with plenty of lively discussion and questions along the way.

One attendee said:

“It was a great morning full of lots of lively debate and questions about how best to support the river and its inhabitants. As a novice I learnt so much!”

The morning finished with a well-earned cup of tea or coffee at the Falls Hotel.

Evening of Exploring Irish Bats

On Wednesday, 19th of August, we welcomed a full house for our Bat Talk and Walk, led by RBRA's Community Engagement Officer and bat enthusiast, Cía McElveen Walsh.

Following a talk on Ireland's bats and their importance to our ecosystems, the group headed into the Glen with bat detectors to listen for bats along the Inagh and Ballymacraven rivers. We were lucky enough to encounter three species during the walk: soprano pipistrelles, common pipistrelles and Daubenton's bats. Thanks to Cía for a successful and informative evening. 

Did you know?

🦇 A single tiny pipistrelle bat can eat up to 3,000 small insects in just one single night. 

🦇 All Irish bat species only have one pup a year. 

If you missed these events, not to worry, we have many more in the pipeline. Keep an eye out for an Autumn announcement for a series of events…

If you would like to keep informed you can join our WhatApp group, newsletter or follow us on social media. See below on how to sign up/follow us. 

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